Find Relief and Save Your Smile

With Root Canal Therapy

We know that when your tooth is hurting, it's hard to think about anything else. Though if your tooth pain is a result of an infection, there's a way to get relief and make sure your tooth stays intact.

Call 360-629-3133

Why You May Need Root Canal Therapy

You have tooth decay that's reached your tooth's pulp
There is an infection or abscess inside or at the root tip of your tooth
You've experienced injury or trauma to your tooth
There is extreme wear due to teeth grinding

Dentist examining a patient's teeth with a mouth mirror during a dental exam

Dental team performing a root canal procedure on a patient

We Understand Your Pain

Your toothache is your body telling you something is wrong. This pain can be caused by decay, a crack, or an injury that has reached the sensitive pulp inside your tooth. While you may be tempted to simply pull the tooth that's causing you trouble, saving your natural tooth is always the best choice. Extracting, or pulling a tooth, could ultimately be more costly and cause significant problems for adjacent teeth, as well as causing loss of bone around the extraction site.

Root canal therapy can stop your pain and save you from extraction, and it's much simpler than you might think. The pulp (nerve and blood supply), bacteria, and any decay are removed, and the resulting space is filled with an inert material.

What You Can Expect

1. We Numb and Prepare

When you come in for root canal therapy, we'll make sure the area around your tooth is completely numb before we start. We'll also keep your tooth isolated and dry.

2. Cleaning Your Infection

Once the area is prepared, we gently create a hole at the top of your tooth to extract the infected pulp and any decay from within your tooth. This is the most important step, as it is how we eliminate the source of your pain.

3. Filling and Sealing

Once all decay and bacteria is removed, Dr. Joe will fill the inside with a special, inert material to seal the tooth and prevent any future infections. We'll also place a temporary filling to further protect your tooth.

4. Returning for a Crown

When your tooth has had time to heal from the root canal treatment, you'll need to return to our office to check the healing of the tooth. If the tooth has healed, then it will be ready to have a permanent crown placed to prevent any further decay or fracturing of the treated area.

At times, a tooth may require specialist treatment if your infection is more complex. If this is needed, Dr. Eidsness will work closely with your endodontic specialist to review your treatment case, send necessary records to their office, and place the crown after your root canal is completed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a root canal be painful? ▼

Many of our patients worry about the pain this procedure might cause. Rest assured, the relief this treatment will bring you will outshine any discomfort you feel during your procedure. We also offer sedation dentistry to ensure that the procedure itself is often no more uncomfortable than getting a filling.

How long will my root canal take? ▼

This treatment requires more than one appointment to complete, as Dr. Eidsness will need to first perform the root canal, and then see you back to place a crown.

What happens if I don't get a crown? ▼

After a root canal, your tooth can become brittle. By placing a dental crown, you protect your tooth from fracturing and prevent future decay or infection. Ideally, Dr. Eidsness will recommend seeing you for your second appointment within 30 days of your root canal for the best long-term outcome.

Ready to Feel Like Yourself Again?

A toothache can take over your life, but it doesn't have to.

You've taken the first step by learning about root canal therapy, and we're here to help take you the rest of the way to make your smile healthy and comfortable again. Don't wait for the discomfort to get worse.

Contact Our Team Today